Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 14, 2005 14:14:40 GMT -5
Ithaca-Made Movies was formed as a last ditch
effort to try and accomplish a goal of retrieving
and acquiring the remaining bits and pieces of
Ithacas movie-making past that still exist in
unknown collections and archives around the
world.
Ithaca-Made movies will then bring these
materials together to produce an extensive
documentary program that will include all of
the historical information that has been
gathered.
Ithaca-Made Movies believes that an educational,
informational and entertaining program can be
successfully completed in a 3-5 year period.
How can this be done?
Most of the work has already been done! Major
collecting and research done by Terry Harbin of
Ithaca-Made Movies has made possible several
options. With about 85% percent of the research
already complete an outline for a future project
can be planned.
Over the years Mr. Harbin has kept the
movie-making past alive in Ithaca with frequent
articles in the local papers and free public
showings of Ithaca Made Movies at The
Tompkins County Public Library.
Mr. Harbin, has had private presentations at
Senior Housing venues, re-unions and alumni
gatherings held locally in Ithaca, New York.
Special programs & events have provided a
positive atmosphere within the community.
Thus support for such a movie-making
project can be realized.
How will this be possible?
Ithaca-Made Movies has already achieved
some financial support by its current efforts.
Ithaca-Made Movies has received $500 for
the establishment of Ithaca-Made Movies
as a not-for-profit entity.
Recently Ithaca Made Movies was able to
bring a 1916 silent film series back to the
community were it was originally produced.
The 1916, Beatrice Fairfax series has been
re-scored, re-tinted and re-assembled in a
digital format. The Serial Squadron located
in Newtown Pennsylvania is doing this work.
This group has been saving and preserving
serial films for many years, not just silent films
either, sound serials and radio serials are
also favorites.
The Serial Squadron has just completed and
released Volume's 1 & 2 of the Beatrice
Fairfax series on DVD.
Beatrice Fairfax vol. 1 contains 4 complete
episodes with musical accompaniment
by The Serial Squadrons own music expert
Eric Stedman.
It also contains a short documentary
on the history of Beatrice Fairfax in the popular
culture, along with audio commentary from
Ithaca-Made Movies founder Terry Harbin.
Beatrice Fairfax vol. 2
contains 5 complete episodes
with musical accompaniment
by Eric Stedman.
What are Ithaca-Made Movies future plans?
Ithaca-Made Movies is now having work done
to create a professional website.
This will help Ithaca-Made Movies to produce,
preserve and promote the silent film history
that exists, so future generations of Ithacans
can enjoy and be proud of our film making past.
Ithaca-Made Movies is currently sponsoring
efforts to retrieve the films, which are needed
for a documentary project, entitled;
“Forgotten Pioneers of Serial Films”
Theodore W. & Leopold D. Wharton.
Archival materials that will be needed.
“When Soul Meets Soul” a 1912 film
directed by Theodore Wharton, while
he was working for the Chicago Essanay
Film Company. This two-reeler features
Francis X. Bushman and several other
actors that appeared in Ithaca films
when Theodore Wharton filmed here
in the summer of 1913 at Cornell.
“Teaching Hicksville to Sing” is a 1913
Essanay film that features Beverly Bayne,
who was filming with Theodore Wharton
in Ithaca during 1913. This is good
biographic footage that will represent
Beverly Baynes appearance and acting
style alongside some one other than
Francis X. Bushman.
“The Girls of Grassville” a 1912 Essanay
film with Beverly Bayne featured along
with several other actors who appeared
in Ithaca films in 1913.
“Under Royal Patronage” a 1914 film
that stars both Francis X. Bushman
and Beverly Bayne while they were
still working with Essanay.
“The Voice of Conscience” a 1912
Essanay film featuring Francis X. Bushman
this was produced and directed by
Theodore Wharton before his arrival in Ithaca.
“Tapped Wires” one reel of a 1914 Essanay
film that was produced and directed by
Theodore Wharton shortly after leaving
Ithaca in the fall of 1913.
“Screen Snapshots” footage from 1922
that has both Beverly Bayne & Francis X.
Bushman arriving and departing on a
Cruise ship. Many other actors from the
period are included on the one reel.
From the 1915-1916 period the following
titles are needed.
“The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford”
a 1915 film serial produced and directed by
the Wharton Brothers at Renwick Park.
It was filmed in Ithaca and starred Max
Figman and his wife Lolita Robertson along
with Burr McIntosh. An Ithaca girl Francis
White was also featured in many episodes.
What exists is episode # 5 entitled
“The Lilac Splash” it is about 23 minutes.
The first five episodes of "Wallingford"
had Oliver Hardy appearing in various roles.
The footage shows Oliver Hardy in his first
serial film appearance (as a would be burglar)
this is a certain treasure.
“The Romance of Elaine” a 1915 serial
produced and directed by Theodore &
Leopold Wharton.
It features the only known footage of
Pearl White and Lionel Barrymore during
their filming together in Ithaca.
The footage that is available for transfer is
only about 5 minutes long. The chapter is
entitled “The Missing Torpedo Model.”
“The Mysteries of Myra” a 1916 serial
produced and directed by Theodore &
Leopold Wharton in their Renwick Park
studio in Ithaca New York.
The serial stars were Howard Estabrook
and Jean Sothern and the film dealt with
Pshyic phenomena, hypnosis and the occult.
What is available is part two of episode
# 11 entitled “The Fire Elemental” also
available is 2-3 minutes from chapter
# 5 “The Fumes of Fear” also available
is about10 minutes from reel two of chapter
# 15, “The Thought Monster.”
Also available on nitrate film (which will
have to be placed on safety film before
copies can be made) is episode # 13
entitled “The Elixir of Youth” which is
from the "Myra Series."entitled it is
only 6 minutes.
That is all the footage that has survived
from the two 15 episode serials, The
Romance of Elaine and The Mysteries of Myra.
Ithaca-Made Movies has in their possession
film transfers of Wharton silent films on
3/4 inch videotape. With 3/4 inch technology
almost obsolete these materials must be
transferred soon or they will deteriorate
and become useless.
The total value already invested in these
collections is more than $4,000 dollars.
This all will be lost if Ithaca-Made Movies
can not find money to at least upgrade
them to a digital medium. The cost to do
this seems to be reasonable and the time
that it would take to do the work is possible.
The following is a list of Ithaca-Made Movies
film transfers on Master 3/4 inch tape.
“Patria” a 51-min film transfer originally
acquired from The New York Museum of
Modern Arts in NYC in 1988. Produced by
the Wharton brothers for William Randolph
Hearst’s, International Film Service.
The serial featured the famous dancer
Irene Castle
and was filmed primarily in Ithaca, New
York at The Whartons Renwick Park studio
in 1916 from July/Nov.
“The Lottery Man” is a 65-min film transfer
acquired from The Library Of Congress in
1988. It features Thurlow Bergen and his
wife Elsie Esmond. they were both co-stars
in the Whartons 1914 filming productions
that were done for Pathe.
This film has the earliest known footage of
a young Oliver Hardy (in drag) appearing
in a feature film.
Oliver Hardy also appeared in several
episodes of the serial "The New Adventures
of Rufus J. Wallingford." Both productions
were filmed in Ithaca in 1915.
“If Women Only Knew” is a 63-min film
transfer acquired from The Library Of
Congress in 1988. This film was produced
by The Cayuga Pictures Company in 1920.
This was the last silent film made in Ithaca, NY.
It featured Robert Gordon, who was silent
films first Tom Sawyer. The film has more
Ithaca scenes packed into it than most
Ithaca films. Ithacan Walter Stainton donated
the negative to the Library of Congress.
“The Great White Trail” is a 61-min film transfer
acquired from Glenn Video Vistas of California
in1988.
This film was The Whartons first Independent
film to be distributed by the newly formed
Wharton Releasing Company.
Filming was done in the Finger Lakes region,
Adirondacks, Port Henry, Saranac Lake,
Ithaca, Enfield, Ludlowville New York in
early 1917. The film features Syracuse
native Doris Kenyon in the lead role.
Many local Ithacan's appear in this feature film.
Ithaca-Made movies has a second copy of
this title obtained from the Canadian
archives in 1999.
“The Perils of Pauline” and “The Exploits
of Elaine” both were acquired from Glenn
Video Vistas of California in 1988.
The Perils of Pauline were not filmed in
Ithaca or produced by The Wharton
Brothers. It had been long rumored
that the Perils of Pauline"had Ithaca
connections. This was acquired during
early researching when rumor still had
it as having been filmed in Ithaca.
The Pathe company did indeed bring
the Perils of Pauline players to Ithaca,
in August 1914 to film scenes for episode
# 13 of the serial.
They could not find a good cliff to throw
Pearl White off of (go figure) so they
went to Saranac Lake to complete the
scene.
“The Exploits of Elaine” were produced
and directed by The Whartons' but not
filmed in Ithaca NY. The complete 14
chapters of Exploits of Elaine is on the
National Film Preservation list as having
been preserved and housed in the
Eastman House in Rochester.
The complete series on film is in their
collections. Ithaca-Made Movies has the
condensed version of The Perils of Pauline
along with several of the Exploits chapters
that were transferred in 1988. They total
more than 8 hours.
“The Mission of the War Chest” is a 13-min
film transfer from a film negative provided
by Walter Stainton of Ithaca.
The film was later donated to DeWitt Historical
Society. It is still housed at The History
Center in Tompkins County.
The negative is nice to have but a positive
print is needed for it to be projected.
Ithaca-Made Movies had a copy transferred
onto 3/4 inch tape and this is the only
positive image of this film that exists.
“The New Adventures of Rufus J. Wallingford”
a 9-min film transfer from The Library of
Congress. This was acquired in 1988. It was
filmed in Ithaca by the Whartons for the
Pathe Company.
Ithaca-Made Movies has pt. 1 of episode
# 7 entitled “The Bang Sun Engine” and it
has some great recognizable Ithaca scenes.
Later in 1999, it was learned that episode
13 from the "Wallingford series"entitled
“The Missing Heir,” was now in The
Library of Congress holdings.
This footage was acquired along with an
episode from the Beatrice Fairfax series
that was also filmed in Ithaca.
The Beatrice episode was a great discovery
because 13 episodes of The Beatrice Fairfax
series had been acquired in 1988. But,
Missing was episode #1 along with episode
#9 entitled “Outside the Law.”
Ithaca-Made Movies now has both of these
episodes in Super-VHS format.
effort to try and accomplish a goal of retrieving
and acquiring the remaining bits and pieces of
Ithacas movie-making past that still exist in
unknown collections and archives around the
world.
Ithaca-Made movies will then bring these
materials together to produce an extensive
documentary program that will include all of
the historical information that has been
gathered.
Ithaca-Made Movies believes that an educational,
informational and entertaining program can be
successfully completed in a 3-5 year period.
How can this be done?
Most of the work has already been done! Major
collecting and research done by Terry Harbin of
Ithaca-Made Movies has made possible several
options. With about 85% percent of the research
already complete an outline for a future project
can be planned.
Over the years Mr. Harbin has kept the
movie-making past alive in Ithaca with frequent
articles in the local papers and free public
showings of Ithaca Made Movies at The
Tompkins County Public Library.
Mr. Harbin, has had private presentations at
Senior Housing venues, re-unions and alumni
gatherings held locally in Ithaca, New York.
Special programs & events have provided a
positive atmosphere within the community.
Thus support for such a movie-making
project can be realized.
How will this be possible?
Ithaca-Made Movies has already achieved
some financial support by its current efforts.
Ithaca-Made Movies has received $500 for
the establishment of Ithaca-Made Movies
as a not-for-profit entity.
Recently Ithaca Made Movies was able to
bring a 1916 silent film series back to the
community were it was originally produced.
The 1916, Beatrice Fairfax series has been
re-scored, re-tinted and re-assembled in a
digital format. The Serial Squadron located
in Newtown Pennsylvania is doing this work.
This group has been saving and preserving
serial films for many years, not just silent films
either, sound serials and radio serials are
also favorites.
The Serial Squadron has just completed and
released Volume's 1 & 2 of the Beatrice
Fairfax series on DVD.
Beatrice Fairfax vol. 1 contains 4 complete
episodes with musical accompaniment
by The Serial Squadrons own music expert
Eric Stedman.
It also contains a short documentary
on the history of Beatrice Fairfax in the popular
culture, along with audio commentary from
Ithaca-Made Movies founder Terry Harbin.
Beatrice Fairfax vol. 2
contains 5 complete episodes
with musical accompaniment
by Eric Stedman.
What are Ithaca-Made Movies future plans?
Ithaca-Made Movies is now having work done
to create a professional website.
This will help Ithaca-Made Movies to produce,
preserve and promote the silent film history
that exists, so future generations of Ithacans
can enjoy and be proud of our film making past.
Ithaca-Made Movies is currently sponsoring
efforts to retrieve the films, which are needed
for a documentary project, entitled;
“Forgotten Pioneers of Serial Films”
Theodore W. & Leopold D. Wharton.
Archival materials that will be needed.
“When Soul Meets Soul” a 1912 film
directed by Theodore Wharton, while
he was working for the Chicago Essanay
Film Company. This two-reeler features
Francis X. Bushman and several other
actors that appeared in Ithaca films
when Theodore Wharton filmed here
in the summer of 1913 at Cornell.
“Teaching Hicksville to Sing” is a 1913
Essanay film that features Beverly Bayne,
who was filming with Theodore Wharton
in Ithaca during 1913. This is good
biographic footage that will represent
Beverly Baynes appearance and acting
style alongside some one other than
Francis X. Bushman.
“The Girls of Grassville” a 1912 Essanay
film with Beverly Bayne featured along
with several other actors who appeared
in Ithaca films in 1913.
“Under Royal Patronage” a 1914 film
that stars both Francis X. Bushman
and Beverly Bayne while they were
still working with Essanay.
“The Voice of Conscience” a 1912
Essanay film featuring Francis X. Bushman
this was produced and directed by
Theodore Wharton before his arrival in Ithaca.
“Tapped Wires” one reel of a 1914 Essanay
film that was produced and directed by
Theodore Wharton shortly after leaving
Ithaca in the fall of 1913.
“Screen Snapshots” footage from 1922
that has both Beverly Bayne & Francis X.
Bushman arriving and departing on a
Cruise ship. Many other actors from the
period are included on the one reel.
From the 1915-1916 period the following
titles are needed.
“The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford”
a 1915 film serial produced and directed by
the Wharton Brothers at Renwick Park.
It was filmed in Ithaca and starred Max
Figman and his wife Lolita Robertson along
with Burr McIntosh. An Ithaca girl Francis
White was also featured in many episodes.
What exists is episode # 5 entitled
“The Lilac Splash” it is about 23 minutes.
The first five episodes of "Wallingford"
had Oliver Hardy appearing in various roles.
The footage shows Oliver Hardy in his first
serial film appearance (as a would be burglar)
this is a certain treasure.
“The Romance of Elaine” a 1915 serial
produced and directed by Theodore &
Leopold Wharton.
It features the only known footage of
Pearl White and Lionel Barrymore during
their filming together in Ithaca.
The footage that is available for transfer is
only about 5 minutes long. The chapter is
entitled “The Missing Torpedo Model.”
“The Mysteries of Myra” a 1916 serial
produced and directed by Theodore &
Leopold Wharton in their Renwick Park
studio in Ithaca New York.
The serial stars were Howard Estabrook
and Jean Sothern and the film dealt with
Pshyic phenomena, hypnosis and the occult.
What is available is part two of episode
# 11 entitled “The Fire Elemental” also
available is 2-3 minutes from chapter
# 5 “The Fumes of Fear” also available
is about10 minutes from reel two of chapter
# 15, “The Thought Monster.”
Also available on nitrate film (which will
have to be placed on safety film before
copies can be made) is episode # 13
entitled “The Elixir of Youth” which is
from the "Myra Series."entitled it is
only 6 minutes.
That is all the footage that has survived
from the two 15 episode serials, The
Romance of Elaine and The Mysteries of Myra.
Ithaca-Made Movies has in their possession
film transfers of Wharton silent films on
3/4 inch videotape. With 3/4 inch technology
almost obsolete these materials must be
transferred soon or they will deteriorate
and become useless.
The total value already invested in these
collections is more than $4,000 dollars.
This all will be lost if Ithaca-Made Movies
can not find money to at least upgrade
them to a digital medium. The cost to do
this seems to be reasonable and the time
that it would take to do the work is possible.
The following is a list of Ithaca-Made Movies
film transfers on Master 3/4 inch tape.
“Patria” a 51-min film transfer originally
acquired from The New York Museum of
Modern Arts in NYC in 1988. Produced by
the Wharton brothers for William Randolph
Hearst’s, International Film Service.
The serial featured the famous dancer
Irene Castle
and was filmed primarily in Ithaca, New
York at The Whartons Renwick Park studio
in 1916 from July/Nov.
“The Lottery Man” is a 65-min film transfer
acquired from The Library Of Congress in
1988. It features Thurlow Bergen and his
wife Elsie Esmond. they were both co-stars
in the Whartons 1914 filming productions
that were done for Pathe.
This film has the earliest known footage of
a young Oliver Hardy (in drag) appearing
in a feature film.
Oliver Hardy also appeared in several
episodes of the serial "The New Adventures
of Rufus J. Wallingford." Both productions
were filmed in Ithaca in 1915.
“If Women Only Knew” is a 63-min film
transfer acquired from The Library Of
Congress in 1988. This film was produced
by The Cayuga Pictures Company in 1920.
This was the last silent film made in Ithaca, NY.
It featured Robert Gordon, who was silent
films first Tom Sawyer. The film has more
Ithaca scenes packed into it than most
Ithaca films. Ithacan Walter Stainton donated
the negative to the Library of Congress.
“The Great White Trail” is a 61-min film transfer
acquired from Glenn Video Vistas of California
in1988.
This film was The Whartons first Independent
film to be distributed by the newly formed
Wharton Releasing Company.
Filming was done in the Finger Lakes region,
Adirondacks, Port Henry, Saranac Lake,
Ithaca, Enfield, Ludlowville New York in
early 1917. The film features Syracuse
native Doris Kenyon in the lead role.
Many local Ithacan's appear in this feature film.
Ithaca-Made movies has a second copy of
this title obtained from the Canadian
archives in 1999.
“The Perils of Pauline” and “The Exploits
of Elaine” both were acquired from Glenn
Video Vistas of California in 1988.
The Perils of Pauline were not filmed in
Ithaca or produced by The Wharton
Brothers. It had been long rumored
that the Perils of Pauline"had Ithaca
connections. This was acquired during
early researching when rumor still had
it as having been filmed in Ithaca.
The Pathe company did indeed bring
the Perils of Pauline players to Ithaca,
in August 1914 to film scenes for episode
# 13 of the serial.
They could not find a good cliff to throw
Pearl White off of (go figure) so they
went to Saranac Lake to complete the
scene.
“The Exploits of Elaine” were produced
and directed by The Whartons' but not
filmed in Ithaca NY. The complete 14
chapters of Exploits of Elaine is on the
National Film Preservation list as having
been preserved and housed in the
Eastman House in Rochester.
The complete series on film is in their
collections. Ithaca-Made Movies has the
condensed version of The Perils of Pauline
along with several of the Exploits chapters
that were transferred in 1988. They total
more than 8 hours.
“The Mission of the War Chest” is a 13-min
film transfer from a film negative provided
by Walter Stainton of Ithaca.
The film was later donated to DeWitt Historical
Society. It is still housed at The History
Center in Tompkins County.
The negative is nice to have but a positive
print is needed for it to be projected.
Ithaca-Made Movies had a copy transferred
onto 3/4 inch tape and this is the only
positive image of this film that exists.
“The New Adventures of Rufus J. Wallingford”
a 9-min film transfer from The Library of
Congress. This was acquired in 1988. It was
filmed in Ithaca by the Whartons for the
Pathe Company.
Ithaca-Made Movies has pt. 1 of episode
# 7 entitled “The Bang Sun Engine” and it
has some great recognizable Ithaca scenes.
Later in 1999, it was learned that episode
13 from the "Wallingford series"entitled
“The Missing Heir,” was now in The
Library of Congress holdings.
This footage was acquired along with an
episode from the Beatrice Fairfax series
that was also filmed in Ithaca.
The Beatrice episode was a great discovery
because 13 episodes of The Beatrice Fairfax
series had been acquired in 1988. But,
Missing was episode #1 along with episode
#9 entitled “Outside the Law.”
Ithaca-Made Movies now has both of these
episodes in Super-VHS format.